Karen Cantu

Tragedies define people and I am so thankful for mine. I create surreal artworks for self-therapy. My mind has a very vivid imagination, and it has not always been a blessing for me — dealing with made-up thoughts and mind stories is exhaustive and it can get easily out of control to the point where imagination is causing more pain than reality. I came to understand the "need" of my mind to always be creating its own reality, and instead of fighting every thought and feeling, I began to listen, understand them and wrap them up in works of art. It is a daily battle for me, sometimes I still struggle with my mind and the whole learning-to-control thing, but I have found the best therapy for it: art. Everything I do, it’s just my mind sharing its stories and struggles with you.